


Tales Of 51

by CottonCandyWhump



Category: Chicago Fire
Genre: Arguing, Arguments, Chickens, Cooking, Fights, Fire, Firefighters, Gen, Odd Calls, Rude People, Snobby people, annoyed matthew casey, candidates, cooking fails, disrespecting the chain of command, stuck, stuck casey
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-09-04
Updated: 2019-11-06
Packaged: 2020-10-06 18:28:25
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 2,789
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20511515
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CottonCandyWhump/pseuds/CottonCandyWhump
Summary: 51’s tales of wacky calls, annoying candidates and all arond madness.





	1. The Candidate Who Lasted Less Than An Hour

“Lieutenant Matt Casey. You must be the new candidate,” Casey says, introducing himself to the fair haired young man. The candidate looks Casey up and down with a smirk.

“Harry. Harry Alcolm. You’ve probably heard of me.”

“I can’t say that I have,” Casey replies, a little taken aback by the candidates assumption.

“Whatever. What do you have to do around here?” The candidate asks, handing Casey his bag and walking towards the common room. Annoyed, Casey drops the bag on the floor and heads towards the candidate. 

“The washrooms need cleaning, candidate,” Casey says, looking pointedly towards the washrooms.

“Thanks for the warning, Matt,” the candidate smiles, acting as if Casey was his friend rather than his lieutenant.

“That’s your job candidate.”

“No, I don't think it is. See, I’m a firefighter. I don’t clean toilets.”

The candidate examines his fingernails and Casey feels his blood boil. Something about the man irked him to no end.

“Listen up, candidate! I’m only going to say this once! You,” Casey shouts, jabbing a finger to the candidates chest, “are a candidate. I am a lieutenant. That means you do what I say, when I say it. Is that understood, candidate?!” 

The conversation around them had stopped and Casey could feel everyone's eyes on them. He didn’t usually yell at his men but when he did, it was always in private.

“Now,” Casey says when the candidate fails to respond, too busy staring at Casey with an offended look, “Clean the washrooms, candidate.”

“No thanks,” the candidate sneers, grabbing his bag and leaving the station. With a frustrated growl, Casey turns to the closet wall and punches it, feeling the bones in his hand snap.

At least now he wouldn’t have to deal with the candidate anymore.


	2. That Time Severide Tried To Cook Dinner And Started A Fire

Severide sighs as he remembers the big fight he and Casey had had just a few hours ago. It had started with an accusation from Severide and had ended with Boden, Herrmann and Cruz pulling Severide and Casey apart, the argument having come to blows.

He and Casey had been sent in opposite directions to calm down. Severide had headed to the kitchen and Casey had pulled his rig out for some drills with his team.

The time alone had given him time to think and regret his accusation. In lieu of apologizing, Severide had started making dinner, something that both lieutenants did after a fight. It was a kind of “I’m sorry we fought. I was an idiot.” sort of thing. 

Kelly is snapped out of his thoughts when smoke starts filling the room, grabbing the attention of truck, who had come in for some water. Kelly freezes in shock, staring at the tower of flames rising up from the frying pan.

“Kelly!” Casey shouts, shoving him out of the way, fire extinguisher in hand. Stumbling a couple steps to the left, Severide watches as Casey quickly extinguishes the fire before giving Severide a look that suggests he’s an idiot.

“I panicked, okay?” 

Casey just raises an eyebrow in Severide’s direction as he examines the bacon, which has since been burnt to a crisp.

“Sorry. I was trying to make that pasta you like. The one with the bacon bits,” Severide says with a sheepish grin. “Obviously that didn’t turn out well.”

“Don’t worry. We’ll order a pizza or something.”


	3. The Call With The Chickens

“Hey, Lieutenant?” Casey looks up when the new candidate hesitantly calls his name. “Is it always this quiet?”

The candidate is immediately met with death glares and annoyed shouts of “Nanette!”

Truck 81. Squad 3. Person trapped.

Truck and squad stand up, both units cursing the candidate’s name as they head to their rigs. The poor candidate is trying to keep up with the annoyed firefighters as they gear up before heading out. 

~~~

They arrive at the scene and immediate stop, staring up at a lamppost in shock and confusion. 

Handing from the very top is a man, holding plastic bags full of what looked like live chickens.

“How the hell?” Capp mutters, staring at the man.

“Get me down! Don’t hurt my chickens! Get me down, please!” 

The mans shouting snaps them out of it and Casey turns to his team, Severide doing the same. 

“Cruz, Otis! Get the ladder set up! Now!”


	4. That Time Casey Got Stuck In A Piece Of Playground Equipement

“What’s going on, ma’am?” Casey asks as a brown haired lady races towards them, obviously shaken. 

“Kasey!”

Casey turns to look at her, confused for a second before she continues.

“It’s Kasey. She’s in the tube and she’s not moving!” The young woman’s shaking, obviously close to tears.

“Are you her teacher?” Casey asks as she leads them towards the playground.

“I’m a student teacher. Cassidy Samson.”

They get to the playground and push through a small crowd of kids and teachers, heading towards the long tube connecting two structures, about fifteen feet long and ten feet off the ground. 

“Damn. When I was in school, we had a couple rusty swings and a balance beam. This right here is a castle,” Casey hears Herrmann say. 

“Hey Kasey?” Casey calls, motioning for Severide to move everyone back. 

Predictably, he gets no response and starts climbing up the structure. He peeks his head into the tunnel and sees a small girl lying in the middle of the tube, unconscious. 

“Kasey?” Casey calls. The little girl looks up and blinks at him sleepily. 

“Who are you?” She asks, rubbing her eyes.

“My name is Casey. Just like you. I’m a firefighter. Your teachers are pretty scared right now. Do you think you could come with me?” Casey asks and the girl smiles, nodding. He goes to move backwards, out of the tunnel and mentally groans when he realizes he can’t move. 

“Hey, Sev?” He calls, waiting until the squad lieutenant comes to the other end of the tunnel to speak again.

“What’s up? Everything ok?” 

“I’m stuck. Like stuck stuck.”

There’s a beat of silence from the squad lieutenant before he doubles over laughing, holding onto the side of the structure for balance as he laughs, Casey glaring at him all the while.

“Yeah, it’s hilarious. Can you just get me out of here?” Casey asks, handing the little girl over to Severide with a promise that he would see her soon.

“Hey guys! Casey’s stuck!” Severide shouts after he hands the other Kasey over to Brett and Dawson.

“How stuck?” Boden asks, heading over while the rest of the crew starts laughing, finding the idea of the lieutenant stuck in a kids play structure hilarious.

“I can’t move.”

“At all?” 

“At all. My arms are pinned.”

“Try twisting yourself,” Cruz suggests having gotten the laughter out of his system. 

“What part of ‘I can’t move’ don’t you understand?!” Casey snaps, frustrated at the fact that he’s stuck. He would rather be naked in front of the entire station then spend another minute in the plastic tube.

“Hold tight, Lieutenant. We’re working on getting you out but it might be a while,” Boden says. 

Casey hears footsteps walking away and sighs. He had never considered himself claustrophobic, part of his job was getting into small spaces to help people, but something about being trapped with walls pressing in on his body was making his heart race. He kicks his legs, despite the fact that they can barely move an inch, desperate for any sense of movement. 

“Hey, Lieutenant? You alright in there?” Herrmann calls and Casey forces himself to relax, working to slow his heartbeat enough that he could pass as calm. He would NOT freak out in front of his men. 

“Peachy,” he replies after a few seconds. Casey mentally curses himself, his voice sounding panicked, even to him. 

“We’ve got an idea but you might not like it,” Herrmann says and Casey sighs, preparing himself for the worst. 

“What is it?” 

“Well, there’s a grocery store a few blocks from here. Severide and Cruz can go buy some olive oil or butter…” Herrmann says, letting his voice trail off when it’s apparent that his lieutenant wouldn’t go for the idea.

“No.”

“It might be the only way, Case.” Severide tells him, stepping in and motioning for Herrmann to leave.

“I don’t care. My answer is still no.”

“Do you want to be stuck there all day?” Severide asks, folding his arms,

“Think of something else, Kel. I’m sure you squad guys can use your two combined brain cells to think of something better.”

Kelly sighs, accepting his defeat and nods.

“We’ll work on it. Just a heads up, the kids will be coming out for recess soon.”

“Just hurry up and get me out of here, Sev.”

Severide walks away and there’s a few minutes of silence before Casey hears a bell ring in the distance. Not even two seconds after the bell sounds, there’s a bunch of screaming and laughing and shouts to “Stay away from the structures!”

Casey sighs, hating how trapped he is. He can feel himself taking quick, shallow breaths as his heart starts to beat faster again. He’s on the verge of hyperventilating when a little girl pokes her head in the tube.

“Who are you?” She asks, sticking a finger in her nose and wiping it on her yellow t shirt.

“Hey! Lizzie! You know you aren’t supposed to be over here,” a teacher says, coming over to grab the little girl by the hand before Casey has a chance to reply. “I’m so sorry about Lizzie. We told them to stay away from the structures but you know how kids are.”

“It’s fine. Do you think you could get Lieutenant Severide over here?” 

The teacher nods and leaves. A few minutes later, Kelly comes running over and Casey lets out a breath. 

“Use the olive oil. Cut this thing open. I don’t care anymore. Just get me out of here.”

Severide must have picked up on the panic in his friend’s voice because he doesn’t make any joke about Casey changing his mind.

“Got it,” Severide says before turning around to yell at his men. He starts walking away but stops, adding as an afterthought “Hey, hand in there, bud.”

Casey nods and watches as Severide heads off in his squad rig, presumably to the Atlantic Superstore a few blocks away. Casey represses a grin, thinking about how confused the cashier would be to see a group of on duty firefighters buying nothing but olive oil. 

Before he knows it, Severide is back, two big containers of olive oil in his hands. 

“Ready?” He asks and Casey nods. Severide slowly pours the olive oil in from the from of the tunnel and Casey can feel the wetness seeping into his lieutenants shirt. Something suddenly brushes against his foot and Casey jerks, kicking out and making contact with something. 

“Fuck!” Casey flushes when the sound reaches his ears. It sounded like Capp but he couldn’t be sure.

“Sorry,” he calls, unsure if he can be heard. He looks to Severide and says quieter, “Is he ok?”

“Capp’s fine. You just got him in the nose.”

Huh. So he was right. Good to know.

Something touches his leg again and Casey barely resists the urge to move when more olive oil is poured by his legs. 

“You ready for the hard part?” Severide asks and Casey nods, scowling. Kelly grins before taking his gloved hands and rubbing the oil in begween Casey and the sides of the plastic tube.

Soon enough, Casey’s able to wriggle out. He’s just lowering himself from the climbing wall on the side of the structure when somebody says “Now!”and a blast of water knocks him off his feet.

Sputtering, Casey shoots them a glare which is wiped off his face by a second spray of water. Coughing and turning his head away, Casey scowls up at Hermmann, Kelly, Mills and Cruz who have the hose out and pointed at him.

“Enough!” He shouts, taking a towel from Brett and drying himself off. Without another glance at his team, Casey swings himself into the truck, still dripping wet.

“We’re leaving!”


	5. That Time Severide’s Helmet Was Missing And Casey Totally Didn’t Have Anything To Do With It

“Hey, has anyone seen my helmet?” Severide asks, appearing in the kitchen with a confused expression on his face.

There’s various denials across the room and Severide furrows his brow before shrugging and heading into the turnout room to look for it.

As soon as Severide leaves the room, Casey lets a mischievous grin spread across his face. Cruz raises an eyebrow in his lieutenants direction but doesn’t say anything as Casey stand up, heading to his office. 

~~~

It’s about eleven thirty, two hours since their last call and two hours since Severide has last seen his helmet.

He had looked everywhere and was starting to get frustrated. It wasn’t in any of the obvious places like the squad rig or the turnout room. He had even checked the truck rig in case there was a mixup. Still nothing. 

With a frustrated sigh, the squad lieutenant heads to his friends office to ask him.

“Hey Casey? Do you know where my helmet is?”

“No idea.”

Severide narrows his eyes, something about Casey’s voice was making him incredibly suspicious. 

“You didn’t… take it? Did you?” 

Casey looks up at him, somewhat amused.

“Now, why would I do that?”

An entire list of reasons goes through Kelly’s head. 

“Casey, give it back.”

“I never said I took it.”

“I know you did.”

“Prove it,” Casey dares him, a sly smirk on his face. Kelly growls and storms out of the room. 

He spends the next few hours looking for his helmet with no results. Just then, the alarm goes off, calling truck, squad and ambo to the scene of a car crash. Truck leave before Severide has a chance to make Casey give him his helmet back. Knowing that they don’t have any time to spare to search for another helmet, Kelly heads for the truck sans helmet. 

It’s a car accident. I won’t need it. Severide reasons.

He opens the door to see his helmet sitting in his seat.

“Goddamnit Casey!”


	6. The Time 51 Accidentally Got A Cat

Casey walks into his quarters and immediately comes to a stop. Sitting on his bed is a black demon ball of fur, calmly licking its paw. Closing the door, Casey heads towards the main room, intending to confront whoever placed the demon in his office.

“Hey Captain, what’s up?” Otis asks, looking up from his crossword.

“There’s a cat in my office. Why is there a cat in my office?” 

“There’s a cat? That’s awesome! Can I see it, Captain?” Otis pleads, looking towards Casey’s office.

“It’s not awesome. I want it out,” Casey tells him, heading to Severide’s office.

The next time he sees the team, they’re all sitting on the floor, the evil fur ball in the middle of them like some demonic summoning ritual. 

“I thought I said I wanted it out,” Casey tells them. The horrible thing looks up, making eye contact with the captain. Casey scowls, giving it a death glare. The thing mrrps and Casey grimaces at it. 

“Boden said we could keep him, Captain. Pouch 2.0.”

“Pouch is a dog. That thing is not,” Casey points out. The thing stretches before padding over to Casey and wrapping itself around his leg. Casey jumps back, pushing himself around the counter.

“Come on, Captain. Even if you don’t like cats, you have to admit she’s adorable,” Kidd tells him and Casey shakes his head.

“It is not,” Casey tells him. Taking a few steps back from it when it looks towards him.

“So who’s naming him?”

Thus begin the naming process.

~~~

“What about Kitten?” 

“That’s like naming your kid baby.”

~~~

“Fluffy?”

Severide vetoed that one on his way to the apparatus floor.

~~~

“Mystic?”

“That’s a Pokémon Go team.”

“How do you know that?”

“Uhhhh….”

~~~

“Buzz?”

“No. Just no.”

~~~

In the end, the cat is named Arson, as suggested in passing by Casey.

“Why not call the demon Arson?” 

“Hey that’s a pretty cool name!”

“Arson it is. Hey, Arson!” 

“Really? Arson?” Casey asks, pausing when he realizes his sarcastic suggestion had been accepted.

Casey watches in horror as the cat perks up, running towards the captain, despite Otis calling for him. With a curse, Casey jumps back, hopping up onto the counter and pressing himself against the wall. 

“You’re scared of cats, Captain?” Kidd laughs. 

“Get this thing away from me!” Casey shouts.

“Arson! Come here,” Mouch calls from the couch. The cat swivels its head towards him and meows, creeping closer towards Casey who lets out a strangled yelp.

Shaking her head, Kidd steps forwards to pick up the cat. Arson immediately digs his claws into her arm and meows, loudly and insistently. 

Laughing, Kidd says, “Captain, I think she likes you.”


End file.
